The contract for removing the wrecks of the schooners M. E. Tremble and Ben Hur was awarded to the Charlton Tug Company, on November 14. Work began March 29, with an outfit of one tug, two scows, two diving suits, two divers, one foreman and eighteen men. Eighty-nine dynamite cartridges were exploded, each cartridge containing about thirty-eight pounds. The total amount of dynamite used was 3,320 pounds.

The method of examining the work was conducted in a peculiar manner. A large scow was procured, two davits were placed on the stern, one on the port and the other on the starboard side of the scow. Two lines leading over the davits were then made fast to a railroad rail thirty feet in length. This was lowered from a windlass forward so as to sweep to a depth of thirty-five feet from the surface of the water. The scow was then towed up about 300 to 400 feet above the wreck and came down with the current, and any obstruction was then easily found. The work was examined on different occasions and was finally pronounced finished by the government engineer according to contract.

Media Type:

Text

Newspaper

Item Type:

Clippings

Notes:

The 673-ton M. E. TREMBLE was sunk in a collision the busy St. Clair River off Port Huron Sep. 7, 1891, and the 315-ton BEN HUR (ex-M. C. UPPER) was lost to the same cause while attempting the salvage of the wreck two months later. The HUR lay directly on top of the TREMBLE in a heavily-travelled part of the river.

Date of Original:

June 17, 1891

Local identifier:

GLN.14213

Language of Item:

English

Donor:

Dave Swayze

Copyright Statement:

Public domain: Copyright has expired according to the applicable Canadian or American laws. No restrictions on use.

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